Laundry device



F. A CII'ONTERMAN f 2,251,564

' mummy nsvxcs Aug. 5, 1941.

Filed Nov. 14, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 .fred (222M774);

Its-'5 Aug- 5, 9 i F. A. CONTERMAN 2 3 LAUNDRY DEVICE Filed Nov. 14, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIHII ll lllHlll U ll 7 F. A. CONTERMAN s sheet -sheet s invention;

Patented Aug..5, 1941 UNITED- fsTi rl-.

hFrediAi Center-man, Jamestown, N.'Y., assignor'to I 7 Blackstone Manufacturing-Company, 'Inc.,

i Jamestown, N. rY., .a corporation otNew York v "Application November'll, 1939, senarNogsotsss N (click-11c) v I being -;'taken substantially the line 2;2, of a a "Figure 3 is a. vertical sectional view 'talren a washing: machine and wringer, and; the other a-rwashing machine and* spinner dryer." This wasnecessitated 'Pby the factgthat the'purchasirig public is o'f' divided opinion as to :the efiiciency, speed, and convenience of these types oi ma chines. The cost of production due'eto such demand is 'necessarily higher' than it w would 7 otherwise be if all machines-were of one or' the othertype. a v; i

It is the purpose of *the present invention .to greatly reduce the multiple production practices now employed inthe manufacture :of laundry devicesof this type,;by constructingcertainparts in such a manner that they are equally adaptable to washer wringersorwasher spinner dryer manchines and this, therefore, constitutes one of theobiects of the invention;- Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a gear housing'ior the drive mechanism of a laundry device that with one or, two supports may be mounted in either of the types of laundry devices mentioned without additional supports or other structure.

Another object'of y the invention lies in the provision of a gear housingthat, in conjunction with one or more supports, serves as the sole bracing means for the base of a, laundry device. w

Anotherobject of the invention lies inthe provision of a gear housing carried bytwo' sup porting members that serve to 'mount a motor for the mechanism of said housing and a'spinner stand.

Other objects and advantages orthe inven-' tion will be more fully understoodfrom a cone sideration of-the following specification, taken in conjunction with th accompanying drawings; andinwhich' I Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a laundry device in which is embodied one Iorm .of the substantially on the line 3-1 of Figure 1;

figure l is a side; elevational 'view oi another type 1:- laundry device embodying. the invention; 1 "Figure- 5 is a horizontal "sectional 'view' showing the gear housing 7 supported'in jth'e device iilus+ H trated Figure 4fbemg'1 taken' substantially ion ew'bf new: mate has? o supports prior, to assembly in the devicejillustr'atedinfliiu e; a i Figure-Tishsldeilevational view of thestr .j tur'e'shown inFigurefil" ,v "if? 7;; e '8 is'f enlarged vertical sectionalview showing'one methodjof joining; the gearfhou'sing toasupport, being taken substantially on theline8 8bf Figure 6; and g Figure" 9 1s an'enlarged vertical sectional view showing the gear -housing joined to a further support, being-taken substantially on the line 99 ofFigure 65' v Y Reference is now had to the drawings wherein the numeral I0 is'employed to generally designate a laundry devic'e embodying one form of the invention. 'Thelaundry device partakes of the nature or a combined washing machine and wringer Wherein a single source of powerand driving mechanism serves both purposesof the device.- The washing machine includes a plu rality of legs: 1 lon which is mounted andsecuredthereto in any suitable manner, a base memberlZythat, in the present disclosure,- is substantially circular and formed with an inwardly-curved lower flange II, as is conventional in structures'of this nature. The upper edge of the imember Ills formed to mount a strip l4 onwhich is carried a tub IS. A wringer ll is-located above the tub l8, being supported in aaconventional manner by a wringerhead and reverse gear mechanism-l l8. that is located to one. sideoi the tub and, togetherwlth a drive shaft I8, is enclosed in any suitable manner, as by a cover 2|.

A-brldgemember 22 formed with end por- I tions .23 and it that are of. the curvature of the cylindrical side wall of the base 12, :beingengageable therewith.- Rivets, or other suitable Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view showing I i means, secure the downwardly-directed flanges oi the member 22,- to the -base=l 2. Adjacent the end 2! is anopeningli, through which the drive shalt il- -oi a motor 28 projects; A pulley 29,

mounted on-the' shaft 21, is adapted to receive a belt 3|. The motor is suspended beneath the wall of the base member l2.

member 22 ,by means of bolts 32 that, being projected through keyhole slots 33, are adjustable lengthwise of the bridge member to vary the tension of the belt 3| as may be required.

The central portion 34 of the bridge 22 is -formed with a depending flange 36 that tererally directed flange 42 that terminates in an' upstanding edge 43. The flange, at one end of the gear housing, rests upon flange 31. A suitable gasket 44 is located on the flange 42. The cover 38 is formed with an endless flange 46 that, at suitable intervals, includes apertured lugs 41. The flange 46 and lugs 41 rest upon the gasket 44 and suitable bolts 48 are provided for the purpose of securing the top and bottom elements 39 and 4|- of the gear housing together. As may be seen by referring to Figure 2 of the drawings, one end of the gear housing is adapted to rest on the flange 31 of the bridge member 22, and bolts 48 serve to prevent displacement of the housing therefrom.

The gear housing 38 projects at nearly right angles to the bridge member 22 and is of such proportions as to accommodate necessary. gearing for driving a washing machine agitator and wringer rolls. A shaft 4'8 projects upwardly through the cover 38 midway of the length of the housing and mounts a pulley that is engaged by the belt 3|. The end 62 of the housing 38, remote from the bridge member 22, projects through an opening 53in the upstanding A suitable opening is made in the cover 39 of this end of the housing and the drive shaft IQ of the wringer projects thereinto. Connection between the driving mechanism within the housing and shaft l8 may be had in any suitable manner, as, for example, by a readily disengageable coupling.

An upstanding boss 54, in the cover 39 adjacent the end 52 of the housing, is drilled and tapped. A bracket 56, secured in any suitable manner to the inner face of the base member |2 above the opening 53, is formed with an inwardly extending base flange 51, having an opening therethrough. A stud 58 projects downwardly through the opening in the bracket and has threaded engagement with the boss 54. A sleeve 59 of proper length serves to properly position this end of the housing. Additional support for the housing is provided by means of a bracket 68 that is permanently secured to one edge of the bridge member 22 and includes an offset flange 6| located beneath the flange 42 of the housing element 4|. This flange is formed with an opening that coincides with the opening in one of the bosses 41, and one of the bolts 48 secures the housing to this portion of the bridge member. It will be understood that the bridge member 22 and housing 38 together serve as a three-point brace member for the walls of the base I2 and that no other brace or support is provided or needed. Furthermore, it is evident that the gear housing 38 may be readily assembled or disassembled from the base l2, since there are no interfering brace members above'or below.

Reference is now had to another type of laundry device to which the present invention is applicible. In this instance, the laundry device includes a washing machine and spinner dryer, being generally indicated by the reference nu meral 62 (see Figure 4). This device includes a plurality of legs 63 on. which is mounted a base member 64. This base member may be of the shape illustrated in Figure 5 and includes a 'top 66 and substantially vertical side walls 61.

The lower edge of the wall 61 may be rolled or beaded, as indicated at 68. Mounted in any conventional manner on the top of the larger part of the member 64 is a tub 68. On the smaller part of the member 64 and adjacent the tub I is located a spinner receptacle II. A suitable spinner basket (not shown) is located in the receptacle 1| and a shaft I2, joined thereto, projects downwardly through the top 66, being supported on a spinner stand 13.

Beneath the top 66 of the base member is located the bridge member 22 heretofore described. Inasmuch as that portion of the base .member 64, at the point of mounting the bridge supporting member 14 is attached to that end of the housing remote from the bridge memberv 22; The support 14 may include flanged edges 16 that conform to the tapered side walls'61 of the member 64 and are secured thereto in,any

- suitable manner, as by rivets. Centrally of the support 14 is an opening 11 and in the inner gear housing 38. The parts are so-designed that the flange 42 of the bottom element 38 of the gear housing rests on the marginal edge of the recess 18. This flange may be welded, bolted, or otherwise secured to the support 14 and, as may be seen in Figure 9 of the drawings, does not interfere with the assembly or disassembly of the cover element 38. The spinner stand 13 may be set into the opening .11 of the support 14 and secured thereto in-any suitable manner. In'the space between the support 14 and the top 66, a pulley is positioned on the shaft 12. A belt 8| of somewhat greater length than belt 3| is provided, being carried by pulleys 28, 5|, and 19. A further pulley 82, connected with a water pump, is located adjacent the housing 38, being driven by the belt 8|.

It will be noted that the bridge 22, gear housing 38, and support 14 constitute the sole bracing for the base member 64 in this type of laundry device, and that access for assembly or disassembly of the elements of the drive mechanism and housing may be readily accomplished since there are no interfering parts thereabove or below. Furthermore, it will be apparent that the gear housing 38 and bridge member 22, by the simple addition of the support 14, are fully adaptable to a laundry device that includes a washing machine and spinner dryer. Thus, it may be seen that the gear housing, enclosed drive mechanism, bridge, and motor may be'standardized and made equally applicable to either type of laundry device disclosed and that the only additional elements for this purpose are the support 14 and spinner stand 13.

Having thus set forth my invention what I claim as new and for which I desire protection by Letters Patent is:

1. In a washing machine having a base including substantially continuous sides, a bridge member for connecting opposite/sides of said base, a downwardly oflset horizontal flange disposed centrally of one edge of said member, a gear housing having a laterally extending rim flange, a portion of said rim flange at one end I oi said housing being seated on and secured to the flange of said member, a support engageable with the sides of said base remote from the I points of engagement of said member with said base, said'suppo'rt being recessed to receive an end of said housing, a further portion of the rim flange being seatable upon and adapted to be secured tothe walls 01 said recess, said member, housing and support being mountable as a unit in said machine and serving to brace the sides of said base.

" 2. In a washing machine having a base comprising a top having continuous vertically disposed sides and ends of substantially ovate contour, a bridge member beneath said top adapted to connect the sides of saidbase; a gear nousing, means disposed centrally of said member for suspending and securing one end of said housing, a support conforming to an extensive area of one of the ends 01, said base to which 

